~ Mct's conch chowder Recipe ~

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
  
       Title: MCT'S CONCH CHOWDER
  Categories: Soups/stews, Fish/shellf, Potatoes
       Yield: 4 Servings
  
       2 lg Onions, diced
       1    Bell pepper, diced
       2 lg Potatoes, peeled & cubed
       6 oz Bacon, cut in 1/4" dice
       1    15 oz. can tomato puree
       1    8 oz. bottle clam juice
       1    8 oz. can diced tomatoes in
            Juice
       2 lb Conch or clams, diced (see
            Note)
       1 T  Salt
       1 T  Thyme, use fresh if
            Available
       2 t  Black pepper
       1    Bay leaf, crushed
       2 oz Hot sauce or salsa (see
            Note)
       1    Jalapeno pepper, finely
            Diced
  
   Saute bacon until soft-cooked; add green peppers and onion to skillet
   and saute to al dente stage. Place in a large pot and add tomato
   puree, diced tomatoes, clam juice, salt, pepper, bay leaf, thyme,
   potatoes, jalapeno, hot sauce, and conch.  Bring to a low boil for 15
   minutes, then simmer for 1 hour.  To hold until serving time, cool to
   room temp- erature and refrigerate.
   
   NOTE:  At McT's, the diced conch meat is marinated overnight in papaya
   juice to tenderize it.  The papaya juice can be rinsed off with a
   little left in to give a slight sweet flavor to the chowder. NOTE:
   The resaurant uses Pico Pica hot sauce, usually only available to the
   trade, but La Victoria hot salsa, which is more available, may be
   substituted, Buchholz says.
   
   From McT's Shrimp House and Tavern, 1523 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel
   Island, FL.  General Manager Ron Buchholz figured out a home-size
   version of McT's Conch Chowder.  Recipe supplied by Lillian Austin,
   former Food Editor of the Ft. Myers News Press from a cookbook she
   had. From: Michael Hackmann Date: 16 Oct 96
  
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